Angel Face
by MysteryFictions
Summary: Roman Sionis hadn't been in a relationship since he messed up his last girl's face with some chemical products. He thought he wasn't to date for a while after that, then he saw her... the real her and his entire perspective changed.
1. Chapter 1

**Angel Face**

Lina Vendetti Arizana was a good assistant, scratch that she was his best. She knew everything he wanted, knew exactly how he wanted it, and was extremely on point when it came to his schedule. He didn't know that hiring her would do anything beneficial to his business because it had. But having a woman around that wasn't as pretty as his previous assistants was not only slightly embarrassing, but annoying.

She was more on top of things than the others were, which made her perfect for the job, but she had this way of constantly asking him about dates and important meetings, especially at the worst times. She was mostly quiet, a blonde with an intelligent mind, a drop out from Harvard who sometimes had the best input. She was lean, had a natural hour glass figure, but unlike other women who had worked for him in the past, she wore the least revealing clothing.

She wore a button up dress shirts and long skirts that ended at her ankles, dull colors with absolutely no view of her plump cleavage. She had tiny freckles on her cheeks and over the bridge of her nose. She wore thick, bug eye glasses and her hair was pinned up in a neatly made bun at all times. She didn't even wear high heels, she wore flats and black stockings, it was like having a young grandma walk around the building.

Today, he just wasn't willing to do with any of her annoying shit. He liked having her around, but she kept things far to professional to allow him any actual fun in the business. She was walking alongside him, somehow keeping up at his pace he wondered if she worked out much, possibly the reason why she never seemed out of breath after their long walks.

They were walking down the hallway of red carpet flooring leading up to his office at the top of the building. A few thugs lined the walls and as usual only one stood out amongst them, the mask of wood imbedded into his skin years ago.

"You have a meeting at Friday with Mr. Cobble pot, he wants to know if you are willing to finance a small drug fund that could easily be shared."

"No."

"It would work out more on your part anyways, think about the amount of income you would receive if you doubled the shipment behind Oswald's-"

"Lina?" He stopped in his footing, he turned to face her and glared at her.

"Yes, sir." She stood up straight, not once breaking eye contact with him.

"Shut up." Her eyes averted to the ground and she bit her bottom lip, holding the paperwork in her hand tightly to her chest. "I mean uh..." He didn't want her to quit, she could easily get a job anywhere else, but she was really good at this one. "Do you not have anything else to do?"

"I do, but my work comes first." She choked out, a lump suddenly had formed in her throat.

"Well uh... Why don't you go and do those things? Like what do you have to do?"

"I had a date tonight."

"A date, really?" He jumped with feigned excitement and nodded his head, starting to clap his hands lightly. He place a hand on her shoulder and gestured around the hall. "Why don't you go and do that then, huh? Take care of yourself, you know?" His voice sounded excited, but he honestly was just trying to get her out of the way.

"Well, I could, but you-"

"I can take care of it doll, don't worry."

"Uh." She was at a loss for words, she don't know how to tell him how grateful she was. Although she didn't want to go on the date, she needed to get out more. "Thank you, boss."

"Alright, huh?" He took the papers out of her hands and held them himself, feeling the surprised gazes from his men. "You deserve it, right?"

"Uh... Yeah, if you think I-"

"Yeah, yeah, go, go. You deserve it more than anyone else in here." He caressed her lower back and gave her a gentle push in the direction of the elevator opposite of the doors that led to his office. "I will see you tomorrow, baby doll."

"Thank you, sir. Thank you so much." She began making steps toward the elevator, before she entered she looked over her shoulder and he waved at her.

"Don't forget the meeting-"

"With Finances tomorrow morning, I know. Don't get yourself caught up, go relax."

"Thank you again, Mr. Sionis."

"No problem." His relaxation time began when the doors to the elevator shut and he let out a sigh of relieve.

Later that night, Roman was bored and tired and most importantly hungry. He decided to go to the little Italy restaurant on the corner of 52nd street. His driver took him there and as he exited the car and approached the restaurant, his goons close at his side. He paused in his footsteps to see... Well he didn't know what he was seeing.

The restaurant was very wide, large windows spanning from side to side of its front to display an italianish style; inside from the crystal clean windows passing pedestrians could see the circular tables accented with white table clothes, mustached waiters, and fresh Italian bread bowls. However, that was not what caused Roman to stop in his tracks. He had been to this restaurant many times, they knew him by name. It was the beautiful young woman sitting at a circular table partially center of the restaurant.

Her blonde hair came down in ringlets hanging over her shoulders and going down her back. Her skin was flawless with just the right marks, tiny freckles lining her cheeks and the bridge of her nose, but they were cute and Roman couldn't help but admire them. Her blue eyes sparkled in the dim lighting of the restaurant, her lips mouthing out words to the man across from her. She was in a sparkling red dress, no sleeves, it went down between her breasts and allowed the eye to linger. It fit tight to the curvature of her hips and ended at her knees leading down to her smooth muscular calves.

Roman had seen many woman in his life, but he had never seen a woman as beautiful as her. She literally glowed, the man across from her did not even remotely come close to being a plausible match for her. He wanted it. That was all that needed to be done. When Roman wanted something, he got it. The man across from her was feeble, his little black suit probably half the cost of Roman's. He was young, black hair slicked back with a cheap gel and powdered cheeks. Roman knew he could easily replace this man and what he did next would set this in motion.

He rose a hand up, one of his goons took notice and stepped closer.

"What's up Boss?"

"You see the woman in red?"

"Yeah, she's pretty." Roman hit the man in the back of the head, the goon rubbed the back of his head. "Shit Boss, sorry."

"You see the man across from her?"

"Yep."

"When we get in, I want him gone. I want you to pay..." Roman reached into the pocket of his suit and pulled out a roll of hundred dollar bills. "The concierge this and tell him to clear the restaurant."

"What-" He hit him in the back of the head again and the man leaned forward holding the back of his head.

"What did I say?"

"Alright, alright." The goon held his hands up in defense and he snatched the roll from Roman. They began making their way closer to the restaurant.

"So what do you like to do?" Damian asked, Lina wove her fingers through her hair and smiled frankly.

"I like to read, sometimes I-"

"I like to work with stocks, that's what I do with my spare time." She frowned and nodded her head, still trying to make the most of the evening. To be honest she was only here because he was paying for dinner.

"Sounds interesting, I-"

"It is, I also like to exercise. I go to the gym every morning, I can lift a car if I really tried actually."

"Cool." She replied, leaning forward on the palm of her hand and staring down at her reflection in the plate.

"I ordered the salad for you, since you showed up a little late."

"Oh..." Lina was starving and he had the audacity to order for her. "Well, I was working."

"Yeah, what do you do for a living again?" She had told him this already, he obviously wasn't listening.

"I work for Roman Sionis."

"You mean at th-" Her eyes widened when he was pulled from his seat, by a man wearing a black skull mask. "What the fuck is this?! Let me the fuck go!" Damian was dragged towards the entrance to the restaurant in a struggling fit and thrown out the door. Lina sat there with wide eyes, everyone was looking in her direction, she lowered her head in embarrassment. Not really caring that her date was just dragged out the door.

"Hello, everyone. I am afraid the restaurant is closing. Please exit through the front doors." Announced the concierge, Lina's eyebrows furrowed and just as she was about to sit up. She felt two black glove-clad hands on her shoulders gently holding her down in her seat. She watched in silent confusion as the people at their tables grudgingly sat up and left the restaurant one by one.

"How are you?" She heard the owner of the hands whisper in her ear, she knew who it was by the husky undertone and by the look of the goon that had just carried her date away. She was extremely shocked and puzzled about this entire thing. Roman circled around the table, one of his goons pulled his seat out for him and pushed it in. He rearranged the collar of his suit and tie, clearing his throat and pulling his gloves off.

"Forgive me for the inconvenience. I just couldn't help myself, you looked like you weren't having fun doll face."

"I wasn't. What are you doing here?"

"Me? Uh... Do you know me?"

"Yes, I do. Very well actually."

"Okay. So a one night stand maybe? High school?" She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

"It's me, Lina." Roman paused for a minute, his eyes scanning her features, her clothing... Other things. He didn't believe it, she couldn't have been Lina. Lina didn't wear revealing clothing, Lina never put her hair down, Lina wore glasses.

"No? It can't be."

"It is. Lina Vendetti Arizana." Roman didn't know what to do, he was so mesmerized by this woman, so attracted, that he didn't even bother to truly look into her appearance. She was different, even acted completely different when she was covered in old ladies' clothing.

"I am gonna go." She was about to stand up, but Roman slammed his hands on the table.

"No." He blurted out, she flinched back in surprise. It was silent, his dark eyes glaring straight into hers and hers glaring right back. He was in love, anybody who could gaze at him without fear, earned his respect and she did more than just gaze at him. "I uh..." She sighed and shook her head, crossing her arms. "You look beautiful." The sound of his voice was all that echoed through the Restaurant, every table was empty and every waiter was clearing the remains of half eaten plates and bringing them into the kitchen. "Really, really beautiful, Lina. I mean why don't you dress like this more often?"

"It's not professional."

"Professional? Sweetheart, you don't have to look like shit to be professional."

"You don't have to look good either." He sighed, choking on his words, unable to say anything really. "I didn't want to be another pretty face. I want to be successful in life and I realized that your male coworkers' sexual drive has a lot to do with that. If I dressed like this everyday, your men would throw smart alloc remarks at me and my opinions wouldn't be respected." He thought for a moment on her remark and sadly she was right.

He wished he would have known sooner because she was the mother of all beauty and she was going to be his. If he had known she would have been his already and that man that was once sat in the very spot he was in, would have never even gotten close to her.

"You should dress like this more often... You look like an angel."

"I am sure I do, can I go now?"

"Why do you want to leave?" The waiter came by with a lasagna plate and a salad, they were placed down in front of them.

"What the fuck is this?!" He gestured to Lina's plate, she shrugged.

"He ordered my meal for me because I was a little late."

"What does he think you are? Anorexic? Take this shit out of my face, I want baked ziti with a nice fresh bottle of champagne."

"Yes sir." The waiter turned to face Lina, who was staring intently at Roman. "What can I get you, ma'm?" He was expecting her to say nothing and get up to leave, but a tiny smile formed on her lips. "Fettuccine with extra sauce." Roman clapped his hands together.

"That's what I am talking about." The waiter took the order and walked away. "Can we for a moment forget that we work together?"

"If you agree to get a cannoli on the way out for me I will think about it."

"A cannoli? Okay, making progress here." He comically addressed, she chuckled, it sounded like sweet happiness. He felt happy because of it and it had been a long time since Roman was actually, genuinely happy, which was pretty much never. "So... Uh... Tell me, do you come here often?"

The night didn't seem to end, they ate their food, mostly talked for what must had been hours. Eventually she moved her chair closer to him, close enough to where he could see her fingers and show her a magic trick with his rings. He would move his hand over hers and a ring would appear on her finger. It was a cheesy trick, but she liked it and the smile on her face that it brought made him want to smile. Sad thing was that she couldn't see it.

As the 'date' continued, he noticed how relaxed she became. She would nudge him with her elbow and instead of fiddling with hair, fiddled with his thumb. He was a hopeless Romantic by then, her life story was so interesting. While working together, he never bothered asking, but now he wished he had. Now he wasn't annoyed with her, he had realized she was annoying because she cared about things in the business that he didn't. She was useful, beautiful, he wanted to call her his and show her around to the rest of the world.

It was one in the morning when they finally decided to leave, he got her cannoli and instead of giving her a ride home, she asked if he was willing to walk her home. He chose two goons to stay close behind and they walked to the concrete steps of her home that was not far down 52nd street either.

When they stopped in front of her apartment complex, he snatched her hand and pulled her into a hug. It was a strong hug, the hug someone gave when they didn't want to say goodbye. She reciprocated, leaning up and pressing a kiss against the wooden lips of his mask. He wished he could feel her lips, taste them, but all he could do was stick his tongue out between the slit and ask for more. She pulled away awkwardly and he turned his head downward, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"I had a good time."

"Yeah, it was nice. I am glad I stayed. Thanks for the Cannoli." She held up the miniature box, he nodded his head.

"No problem." He watched as she stepped up the stairs to the front door of her home. He didn't want her to go through that door, he didn't want to see her tomorrow and be completely professional again. He wanted her to be herself. He wanted her to be his.

"I would order a million cannolis if you wanted me to." She stopped at the middle step and leaned against the railing with a teasing smile, but he was serious.

"Really? I doubt that, you don't waste your money on things that are insignificant."

"You aren't insignificant. If you wanted a million cannolis I would mail them to your house, directly. I would have all the greatest chefs in Gotham bake them for you, all for you. If you wanted an island to elope, I would buy it. I would buy you all the gold jewelry at the nearest gem shop. I would buy you a puppy? A pet tiger? You name it." The more he continued, the more her lips pursed. "I would get you whatever you wanted, no matter the cost." She bit her bottom lip and slowly trotted down the steps until she was in front of him. "I would buy you all the perfume in the world, all the makeup, all the goddamned dresses." Her eyes drifted around, she wasn't sure if she should be afraid. She knew him better than most people did and he didn't do anything for anyone unless it got him something in return, he meant it, but at what would be the cost for her. "I would do anything you wanted."

"Listen..." She looked up into his eyes with a strict demeanor, one that meant business and he loved it. "I am not some woman, if you are saying this so-"

"I wasn't gonna ask myself inside because I respect you too much. No... I mean it, sugar lips. I don't want to see you at work only to find out that you are trying forget that any of this happened."

"Is it because of how I am dressed?"

"Well..." His eyes wandered down her body, hands still in his pocket. "I do rather like that dress and I wish you dressed up more. But really, I like you because you've got guts and I love my woman strong."

"What are you trying to say there, Roman?" He preferred her saying his real name over 'Boss' or 'Master', he actually insisted it halfway through dinner.

"That I want you to be mine, Lina." She hesitated and he wondered if it was because his face was a mask. If his appearance had anything to do with it so far, she hadn't let any of that on. She wasn't a gold digger like his last girlfriend, Circe was her model name, who was actually his x-fiancé now. She was genuine and whether she liked him or not, he wanted her.

"I quit." She mumbled under her breath, Roman was angry now. He was so angry that he didn't have the words to explain it. He had bought her a fucking cannoli, was that not enough for the little bitch.

"Fine then." He spat. "Goodnight Lina." He turned and left, but when he looked over his shoulder she was waving good bye and smiling at him as if it was a joke. He should have killed, but he couldn't because he liked her too much. He didn't know why women had to be so confusing, why did they have to be such a puzzle.

He didn't sleep for the rest of the night and when the sun came up, he went back to work. He went up to his office and strolled in, everything seemed to be in order, but as he crossed over the red carpet flooring towards his oak wood desk. His chair spun around, he stopped, within his chair sat Lina. She was in a sleek black dress that accented all the right curves and her feet were bare as she propped them up onto the desk. The skirt of the dress rolling down as she did, revealing the entirety of her slender legs.

"What are you doing here? You fucking quit." His tone was of agitation, but in some lighter sense he was exasperated. She was here and that was all that was necessary to make him happy again.

"I quit because our relationship wouldn't be professional during work if I hadn't and I don't want to be professional with you anymore, but it's business. I want to be with you." She stood up and strode pridefully around the table to make her way towards him. "I also quit because I didn't want others to think I had special privileges."

"With me you get special privileges regardless, you'll be mine, won't you?"

"Yes, I will be yours." He wrapped his arms around her waist and for the first time they shared the only kiss they could share. His tongue reached out into her mouth and his hands grabbed her waist, her arms around his neck. They pulled away when they could no longer breathe and panted against one another in embrace.

"I think..." She whispered in between breathes. "That I can get use to it."

"Well you better, cause you ain't going anywhere for a long time, Angel Face."


	2. Chapter 2

**Honest Kissing**

He didn't take her to be the snoring type, it was kind of cute to be honest. It happened frequently, whenever she slept over at his penthouse. Lina would typically wear one of his button up shirts to bed along with a pair of underwear. She would curl up with a pillow wedged between her legs and her hair fanned out around her head. He would end up spooning her and then halfway through the night she would start to snore. Roman didn't sleep that well anyways, so he spent the time he couldn't sleep watching her and listening to her breathe. She was what soothed his mind, especially when she would tuck her head under his arm and he could smell the shampoo she used in his shower.

Roman enjoyed having a companion, sometimes she would work with him. She had gotten a new job as an accountant for a law firm, but she came over often. He greatly accepted her advice when she gave it and most of the time, pretty much all of the time, she was right.

Having her around made him think about things he never thought of before. He thought of having a life with her, giving her some and then popping out a couple kids as heirs. He wanted to keep her forever and he was willing to do whatever he could to make her happy. But he wasn't sure he had what it took to give her the life she would eventually crave. He saw the movies she watched and mostly they all ended the same; one big happy family, a broad with a ring on her finger and two healthy children of her own. He feared that one day she would leave him and he didn't want that. He was certainly no soft man, but he cared for her in some manner and if she ever left because of him... He wasn't sure he what he would do. He worried for the day that he would have to let her go, let her go because he couldn't take the heart ache of her leaving on her own. That day came quicker than he himself expected.

It was a lazy sunday morning, he woke up earlier than she did as he was having trouble sleeping again, but this time it wasn't because of his dark past. She woke up to his scent all around her, but his warmth was absent, his side of the bed was empty and chilled. She stretched out under the covers before getting up and making her way out into the living room. His penthouse allowed a nice view of the city, it cut into the kitchen and gave a rich feeling to the room. The living room was standard, a flat screen TV on the wall and a red leather love seat across from it, a coffee table between the two. The color wheel consisted of reds and beiges, oak wood flooring and tan painted walls.

"Roman." She called sleepily, her voice echoing through the home.

"I'm in the kitchen." His grungy voice replied and by the tone of it, she knew he was in no good mood. When she walked from the living room into the kitchen she noticed some odd things to her. He wasn't dressed, usually he didn't lounge around his home half naked. He was in a pair of grey sweat pants, shirtless to reveal his lean and muscular torso, chest hairs roving down his stomach to disappear into his pants. In his hand was a piece of paper, he clutched it tightly. In the other was a glass of straight up vodka, he never drunk this early in the morning.

"Good morning." She said, trying to lighten the mood. She walked up to him and hugged him, pressing her cheek firmly against his chest. He returned it hesitantly, caressing a hand at her lower back. She was in one of his button up shirts again, pink underwear and red socks. She looked so abstract that it nearly made him laugh, but he admired that about her. He couldn't admire her right now, it would make this that much harder.

"What's wrong? Do you want me to make breakfast?"

"No." He firmly stated and then gestured his head to one of the stools at the decorative bar. She frowned and did as he silently requested, taking a seat. Her legs pressed together and her arms crossed over her chest, she gazed into his eyes. "I want you to leave, Lina." Her heart broke immediately, her eye twitching at the words. "I don't want you to come back." He took a swig of his vodka, finishing the glass and then putting it down. His mask showed no reaction, it couldn't, he didn't seem to care at all about the entirety of his words. She gulped and said nothing, tears starting to sting at the corner of her eyes. It had been years, years she didn't once give her love to someone entirely, but then she met him. He was going to throw it all away, throw away the past year they had spent together and for once in her life she was at a loss for words.

"T-That fast?" She stuttered out, closing her eyes and holding her hand over her heart with a pained wince.

"Yeah." He answered and she forced herself to be strong again, she forced her demeanor to go back to being professional.

"I guess I will just um... Grab my things and leave." She sat up from the stool and walked back towards the bedroom, as soon as she was out of sight she began to sob. She sobbed harder than she ever had in her entire life. She fell into the edge of the bed, her body leaning against it and she buried her face in the covers and cried.

Nothing happened for the longest time, she just sat there and cried, her heart was broken and she had no say in the matter. When Roman wanted something he wanted it, but when he lost interest in that something he threw it away. She couldn't change his mind and that was what she thought, she thought that he lost interest in her. That to him all she ever was all she could ever be was a woman with pleasure between her legs.

She stood up and sniffled, wiping her tears away with the loose sleeve of his shirt. She then viciously began ripping at the buttons to get it off, her face was red and wet, her eyes cold and dark. She threw his shirt to the side and then searched the floor for her dress. She found her dress and slid it on over her head, then she fell back onto the floor and cried again. She stopped and found her heels, tossed around the room from the luxurious haste they were in the previous night.

The thing that hurt her was that she couldn't ask why because she felt she didn't need to know. The thing that hurt her the most, however, was that if he had realized he wanted nothing to do with her anymore that morning... Why would he make love to her as if she was the only woman in the world that night?

She grabbed her purse and went on her way, making her way across the living room was difficult. He was sitting on the couch with another full glass and a half empty bottle of the vodka beside him. He watched with heavy eyes as she made those final steps, the last he would ever see of her.

"Lina, I want you to know why."

"I don't want to know." She spat, her heart crushed enough already, the sound of her heels clicking against the wood.

"No, you really need to know." She paused, raising a hand to wipe a stray tear away.

"Okay..." She took a deep breath. "Why?" Her back still turned to him, she heard him gulp down that next glass of Vodka.

"Look at the papers on the counter and then you can leave." She glanced over at the paper he was referring to, placing her purse down and closing the distance between her and the document. She lifted it up to her eyes and read over it, her face contorting from excitement to sadness to surprise and then eventually relieve.

She put the paper down and stared over in the direction of the couch, he was pouring another glass of Vodka.

"Goodbye, Lina. It was a pleasure knowing you. Sorry I couldn't give ya what you wanted." Her fists clenched out of anger, her stupid, handsome, undeniably dangerous man thought that she cared he couldn't have kids. The reports deemed him sterile, but she didn't give a damn. What caused her to feel a slight surge of adoration was the fact that he had deliberately went to the doctor to see if he was able to reproduce. He was thinking about her when he did it. She kicked her heels off and slapped an irritated hand against the table.

"You stupid man." She muttered loud enough for him to hear her, he coughed on his drink, but did not turn to look at her.

"What the fuck did you just say?" She growled and shook her head.

"You heard me." She shouted a little louder. "I should curse you out in Italian, German, Russian, every language I know. You stupid, idiotic man." She ran towards the couch, vaulting over it and startling him up from his seat in shock. She stood up beside him and slapped him across his cheek, he most likely couldn't feel it over his mask, but she could care less.

"Listen, Lina. This isn't my fucking fault! It's nature's! If you really feel that way, I am giving you a ticket out the door right now! Don't fucking ruin it!" He yelled in her face, she snatched his drink from his hand and threw it down onto the coffee table. Vodka and glass spattered everywhere, but neither of them flinched. Roman was infuriated, those glasses were expensive, but what made him even more agitated was her reaction to the previously read news.

"You fucking who-" She slapped him again and he silenced, it was a drop dead silence that meant he was too enraged to talk. He would kill her if the mood strikes him, he wasn't afraid of killing her. He wondered if she herself realized how much of his patience he allowed her.

The entire time she stared up into his eyes with a firm glare, her tears still fresh and her face still red, but it wasn't anger or sadness. She looked almost happy. It made him that much more aggravated, he thought he was seeing her true colors. Until...

"Do you think I care that we can't have kids?" He suddenly was confused, here he thought this entire time that she was upset he couldn't have kids.

"Uh... What are ya talking about?" She smiled, leaning into him, her arms wrapped around his neck and she pressed her lips against his mask. She pulled away and tucked her head beneath his chin.

"You can't have kids and I don't care. I love you you sick son of a bitch." He was so confused, so unable to understand why she hadn't ran through that door. "You don't want me to leave, you just want me to be happy and I am. You make me happy... Oh Roman." She hugged him tighter and he sighed.

"But..." He dropped down onto the couch in disbelief and she fell with him, sliding down from his waist to sit at his feet on her knees and leaned her head onto his knee. "You don't think you are gonna want little tikes in the future?"

"I don't think we could have that with the business we are involved in Roman and it's not like I don't want them, I don't _need_ them. Besides you haven't even proposed to me yet."

"I would like to." He crossed his arms and pouted, well she had just ruined the surprise of marriage, hadn't she?

"What did I do now?"

"Well now you have made me get you upset and all. I hated having to hear you cry like some madwoman." She giggled and picked herself up from his feet to sit on his lap.

"You did it though because you loved me and I fucking love that. I like a man who does whatever he can to make sure his woman stays safe. Protective daddy's turn me on."

"Oh..." His tongue came out to lick the lips of his mask although it was unnecessary. "Really?" She nodded her head and moved to straddle his waist.

"Give me that tongue of yours." She pressed her lips against his mask again and his tongue came out to allow her to suck on it. It was the closest they could ever get to kissing, but it warmed his cold heart. "Really." She confirmed when she pulled away.

"How about breakfast in bed? On me, I will order the finest eggs and bacon you have ever had." He nuzzled her neck and she blushed.

"You spoil me."

"That's the deal, isn't it?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Not So Easy**

Roman Sionis had never asked her to dance and at first she wondered if it was because he didn't know how. She never said anything about it, but dancing was something that use to be a key factor in her life. She use to be a ballet dancer, but quickly gave up the dream to go to Harvard. Besides he had the opportunities many times before to ask her for a dance, but never took advantage of it.

She had just gotten back from work, they had decided to move in with on another so her things were still in boxes around the penthouse. She went down one floor to where his office was, walking down the hallway she waved politely at the goons that nodded at her. She was in a tight white dress, the pearls he had gotten her hung from her neck, the diamond earrings the same. The dress revealed a portion of her chest, but not enough to take away the imagination of it all. He always bought her such expensive things, she really was spoiled, but she wasn't sure what to think of it.

She opened the double doors into his office, supposedly he was in the middle of a meeting he had never told her about with Mr. Cobblepot.

"Baby Doll." He stood up from his side of the desk and stalked around towards her. The Penguin jumped from his seat in the chair across from it, he followed. Roman held his hand out, she grabbed his hand kissing his knuckles. He then placed a gloved hand at her lower back and turned to face their guest. "Mr. Cobblepot, this is my woman Lina. My boys call her 'Snow'."

"Oh I have heard of her." He held his deformed hand out and smiled a rotten grin. She tried not to gag and placed her hand in his, he kissed it. "Very good with business."

"She's alright, needs a little tweaking." Roman stated with a slight growl in his voice, he grabbed Lina's hand and gently tugged it from Cobblepots. Lina knew that Roman was lying, he didn't want Cobblepot to get any ideas so he kept his complements of her reserved.

"What tweaking? I'd say if it wasn't for her you wouldn't be where you are now." Roman's fist clenched, his hand tightening around Lina's.

"You listen-"

"Thank you for your concern,

Mr. Cobblepot, but it is best you keep to yourself about such things. Roman taught me everything I know about this business, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be good at what I do." His eyes found her expression and he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. The cold calculating woman beside him belonged to him and no one else.

"My apologies Snow..." He nodded to her. "Sionis, we can postpone the deal to tomorrow. Have a good day." He spat before wobbling himself out of the office, Roman gathered Lina up in his arms and pressed his face against her neck.

"You are the devil in Prada..." He huskily whispered, but then he turned her around to face him completely. "But that dress makes you look like an

Angel."

"Looks can be deceiving."

"I know, you are living proof." He walked back over to his desk, sitting in his chair and twirling around. "Oh babe, what are we gonna do?"

"You need a break. We should go partying tonight, I hear Wayne is having a get together. We were invited."

"When were you going to tell me about this?"

"Tonight before we went to this get together."

"You are going to kill me. I need a vacation, not a goddamned break. And when is partying ever a break?"

"It depends on the party." She winked at him, plopping down on one of the couches decorating his office. It was silent again, Roman was looking at paper work and signing things. She laid back and stared up at the ceiling, the time grew on and the silence only deemed to help her think more.

"Why don't you go to sleep, sugar plum?"

"Because I don't want to go to bed without you, I want you to hold me."

"I have a lot of work to do." She turned on her belly and leaned her chin into the armrest.

"I'm willing to wait." Minutes turned to hours and she couldn't help herself, she fell asleep on the couch. When Roman finished he had to carry her to their room in the penthouse above. He placed her on their bed and she jumped awake, clutching onto his forearms.

"Shh... It's okay."

"What about the party?" She moaned out sleepily, he sighed.

"I am sorry sweet, it's too early in the morning, must be over by now."

"I was looking forward to dancing with you." She mumbled, she might not have realized that she said it, she was far too tire to notice.

"What?" He cocked his head to the side, plopping down on the bed beside her and beginning to take off his tie. "What the hell do you mean dancing?" He added, she snorted slightly, caressing his back. He shrugged off the white jacket of his suit and folded it to rest beside him.

"You've never danced with me before silly." He glanced over his shoulder at her, starting to unbutton his shirt.

"I didn't think you wanted to dance."

"Ever? Really? I don't think you dance, Mr. Sionis. I think you rather hate the activity."

"What gave you that idea? I will dance any day." She turned onto her side away from him.

"Then I suppose you will have to prove it and dance with me someday." She teased, he groaned although it wasn't because he didn't want to dance. It was mostly because his woman was demanding, it was unusual of her to not demand him to dance and that just confused him, she was always changing. He finished undressing and then helped her out of her dress and earrings and pearl necklace and heels. He made sure not to wake her as she had fallen asleep again. He pushed up against her, wrapping an arm around her waist and making an attempt at sleep.

In the morning when she woke up, he was absent from the bed, which wasn't unusual. But the sweet melody of music coming from the living room, drew her to a completely different notion. She stood up from the bed, still in her bra and panties she grabbed his long red silk robe. It swallowed her body whole and ended at her ankles, the lace she tied around to hold the robe closed, but she had to tie it multiple times.

The song that was playing was slow and smooth, it was At Last by Etta James. Her heart melted when she entered the living room, he was sitting on the couch in a black suit. A bottle of scotch in one hand and the remote to the radio in the other.

 _At last~My love has come along~_

"Roman, what is this?" She crossed her arms leaned against the wall of the hallway.

"You don't want to dance?"

"Dance? I didn't know you danced." She patted towards him, stretching her arms out and yawning. The sleeve of the robe fell over her shoulder to reveal the strap of her bra. He stood up and took one last sip of his drink before putting it down on the coffee table. His hands went into his pockets, she stopped in front of her.

"I dance real good baby. We can dance fast, slow..." He pulled a hand from his pocket and pulled the sleeve of the robe back up. "Rough." She walked into his arms, wrapping an arm around his neck and pressing her cheek against his tux, her hand resting against his pectoral.

"How about all three?"

"I think I have the time." His hands grabbed her waist, both arms raveled around his neck. They began to slow dance, it was simple, but it was so romantic. Far more Romantic than the Sionis she knew. She sighed heavily and pulled her face against his

chest. "In fact, I am taking the day off." He whispered against her ear, she bit her bottom lip and smiled.

"You promise?"

"Would I lie?" She shook her head, although there was times that he lied, they weren't serious enough. He lied about eating her cookie dough ice cream in the freezer, he lied about masturbating with her underwear when she was away on business trips, he lied about not getting her gifts or buying dinner from some fancy restaurant instead of making it himself. Tiny lies.

She moved her bare feet onto his shiny shoes and from there he move them around. She felt his tongue lick at her neck, his hot breath beating against it.

"God. I love you, Roman."

"I know you do, I mean it's kind of obvious. If you didn't love me you would leave the robe on." She giggled like a school girl.

"That's just not fair unless you plan on..." They might have been alone, but whispering was always more sensual. She leaned up until her lips were at his ear and finished the sentence. He pulled her tighter to him at her words and growled.

"Well I plan on it now. Take off the robe." She stepped away and deductively untied the knots, it was difficult as she had tied it so many times. "Jesus Christ Woman." He took matters into his own hands and began to help her untie the robe.

"In a rush are we?" She teased, he was growing aggravated, with how tight she had tied it.

"Why did you tie it so fucking tight?"

"You are just too big for me." She whined, obviously her words had a completely different meaning. He stopped trying to untie the knot and glared up at her.

"You are being very naughty this morning." He hissed in a scratchy voice, she grinned and then brought her hands down to rest over his and help him untie it.

"You have the smaller fingers, weave them through the holes for Christ sake."

"It doesn't work like that, my fingers will get stuck."

"Just do it." They bickered over it for a short time before he grabbed the sleeves and slid them down over her shoulders. But it only angered him more when it fell down, stopping at her waist due to the string being tied too tight. He audibly growled and grabbed the remote to the radio, turning off the music and hurling it across the room at the wall. She tried to hide the smirk on her face, but was slightly disappointed that they couldn't dance a little bit longer.

"Roman-"

"Shut up." He took her hand in his and yanked her towards the kitchen, she gulped audibly. She squealed when he lifted her up and sat her down onto the counter.

"What the fuck!" He opened the silverware drawer and pulled out a thick steak knife. Her eyes widened and she shook her head.

"Roman, this is your expensive robe."

"I can get another one." She couldn't protest, he stuck the knife through the silk cloth and ripped down to cut the lace. He stabbed the knife into the table and pulled the ripped robe down from her body. "Aww, fucking at last." He reached around her back for the clip of her bra and began to peel the remaining clothing off.

"Roman, you are being so vicious."

"Aren't I always?" He breathlessly groaned, she bit her bottom lip as her bra was thrown over his shoulder, her panties next. His hands roamed her body and she was pulled to the edge of the counter, his bulge pressing again her center. He licked her neck, over her lips and down her chest.

"Oh Roman, don't stop!" She hollered out and he complied, licking down her stomach, she laid on her back. His tongue found that place and she nearly broke. She moaned out and grabbed the back of his head to keep him there.

"Hey Boss-" The door to their penthouse swung open and their was a long silence. Roman stopped his ministrations immediately and looked up at the goon who had disrupted them.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing?!" He yelled, grabbing the steak knife from its wedged place in the counter and striding towards the goon. "No one ever taught you how to knock?" Lina dropped from the counter and grabbed the ripped robe as it was the only nearest thing to cover her. She held it up against her front and watched as Roman made his way after the goon, who had already ran out the door.

Lina was aggravated, sexually frustrated, and angry. She stomped off into their shared room and went to take a cold shower. Figuring he wouldn't be back for a while, he would be too busy hiding a body with his goons. This entire day felt ruined suddenly, she really wished he had locked the door to their penthouse, it was his fault and his fault alone.

After a shower, he still hadn't returned, she assumed he was torturing the goon instead, before killing him. Obviously it was more important to keep his image than stay with his girlfriend of two years. She had to accept that the business would always come first, regardless of how much he loved her. She laid down on the bed with a towel wrapped around her body. She heard the door to their penthouse open and slam shut, she jumped up to lock the door to their bedroom. She didn't want to see Roman at the moment, this was supposed to be his day off.

"Lina, I am sorry." He shouted through the apartment, but she could care less. He knocked at the door a couple times and she ignored it. "Baby, let me in. I know you want to." He arrogantly stated, she grabbed a pillow and held it over her head. "Come on, let's just stay in bed for the rest of the day."

"Go away!" She threw the pillow at the door.

"I guess I will have to eat the fresh batch of cannolis I had in the fridge last night all by myself." She sat up, her eyes twitching around, there was one thing she loved that would cause her to be happy anytime.

"Are they from little Italy?"

"Special delivery." Moment laters she opened up the door, she hated how well he knew her.

"With extra chocolate chips?"

"Just the way you like them." He held his arms open, expecting her to come to him. She crossed her arms, the towel still wrapped around her body. "And I will get you Fetuccine for dinner tonight." He added because he knew she liked pasta, how she hadn't ever gained weight, he would never know.

"Fetuccine? Extra sauce?"

"I don't ever forget to order that, I know you like the back of my hand."

"And how well do you think you know the back of your hand?" She leaned her head against the frame of the door and smiled lightly, his eyes went down her figure stopping at the towel and then back to her eyes.

"You should know pretty well how much I know my hand. Perhaps even both of them. And especially how to use them."

"Ha, ha very funny." She fake congratulated, he snatched her hand gently and pressing it against the lips of his mask.

"Can you forgive me, sugar plum?" She rolled her eyes and pulled her hand away to grab the door knob, but there was no hiding her smirk.

"I will think about it, let me get dressed and we can watch a movie." She meant to close the door, but he stopped.

"Why can't we finish what we started? The fact that I can still taste your sweetness on my tongue drives me insane." His words were very tempting and he was being so delightful with his forcefulness earlier, but she had to be smart about this. He would think he could whatever he wanted if she allowed him to do what he wanted and she wasn't going to do that.

"No."

"You're gonna punish me for this?"

"I am." She slammed the door in his face.


	4. Chapter 4

**Stick Together**

Roman pulled the chair out for her and she sat down. She was a black dress, the neck wrapped around her shoulders, but covered her cleavage. It came down around her knees, black high heels. She was wearing the pearl necklace he had got her and her hair was done at the top of her head in a bun. He sat down across from her and grabbed the menu, she leaned on her elbow and watched as he sifted through the pages.

The restaurant was dimly lit under candlelight, with a glass vase with a rose in it at the center of each table. It was extremely expensive, but she wasn't surprised. It was, however, their first time going there, it was their anniversary after three years of being happily in a relationship. His eyes looked up from the menu at her and his tongue came out to lick his wooden lips.

"What are you looking at? I thought you wanted to come here." He was snappy, mostly because she insisted he didn't clear out the restaurant like he always did. So many people were staring and whispering amongst themselves and most of the conversation was about him.

"I did and I am very happy that you brought me here, Roman." He sighed and looked back down at the menu. She looked around the restaurant, woman were glaring at her as if she was a monster, they were glaring at him just as much.

"I am gonna go to the bathroom. I will be back."

"Hurry up, will ya?"

"You know what I want. Can you order for me?"

"Sure, sure." He waved her off as she left for the bathroom. She brought her purse with her, powdering her nose and reapplying her makeup. Moments later after her two woman walked in, one with brown hair and brown eyes, the other with auburn hair and hazel eyes. They stood on either side of her, prepping themselves as she was.

"So... You with Mr. Sionis?" Lina stopped applying her mascara, she looked at the brunette through the mirror.

"That's not really any of your business, but yes."

"Hmm... Shocked. He could go for someone much more prettier." The blond added, then they both left the bathroom leaving Lina to stare at herself in the mirror. She was beautiful... Right? She put her makeup away and stared back up at her reflection. She could see the dim in her eyes and despite telling herself that Roman thought she was beautiful, she still felt ugly after what they said. She was going back to her former self, a woman that rarely dressed up because she was too insecure with her body.

She went back out to the table and sat down across from him, the breadsticks were already put out as was the wine. She stared down at her empty plate looking into her reflection.

"What's wrong baby doll?" Her eyes snapped up to meet his and she licked her lips.

"Um..." She forced a smile and giggled nervously, placing her palms flat on the table. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"Hmmm." Her eyes flickered over to across the restaurant, while approaching the table she had seen where the blonde and brunette were sitting. They had their dates on either side of them, she felt a hand engulf hers and turned her gaze to Roman.

"You aren't alright. Something is wrong."

"Nothing is wrong, okay?" She placed her other hand over his and caressed it.

"Really I am fine, Roman." He cocked his head to the side and took a deep breath.

"Good because tonight is your night. I want you to know that." The side of her lip quirked up slightly and her heart thundered.

"I love you."

"Love you to. Now why don't you move that pretty ass over here." She rolled her eyes, but pulled her hands from his to move her seat beside him. He placed a hand on her knee and as of natural habit caressed it. They talked about movies and money, trips that they had taken previously and old times.

Their food arrived and they are in silence, every so often he would wipe his mouth with the napkin and rub her leg with his hand. She started to get the impression he was warming her up for later and she didn't mind so much.

The waiter came to their table, but it was unusual as they had just ordered desert.

"Sir, the booth over there was wondering if you and your lady date would like to join them." Roman and Lina looked over to the booth, Lina knew the brunette and blonde who had waved at them when they looked over. Roman shook his head and turned back to the waiter.

"Tell them that we are celebrating our anniversary." The waiter nodded and went back to their booth to tell the couples. Lina tightened her grip on his hand and brought it up to her mouth to kiss his knuckles. He leaned in closer and pressed his forehead against hers.

"I wish you would poison them instead."

"I could do that if the waiter wouldn't be such a pussy about it." She averted her eyes down, her head looking down at his hand which she held tightly in her lap. "What's wrong? You are acting the same way you did when you left the bathroom."

"It's just..." She glanced back over at the booth, they were glaring right back. The two broads had been expecting to catch Roman's attention to night, but he had his eyes on her. However, this did nothing to Lina's inner conscious. Roman knew about her past, she was bullied through high school and early college. Even as a dancer things were difficult for her, other girls were always jealous of her talent.

"It's just what?" He put two fingers under his chin and forced her to look back at him.

"They said you deserve a prettier girl."

"Who?" He spat out, his rage surfacing, she didn't need to answer. He switched his hand on her lap to grip hers and squeezed it. "You don't listen to those whores because you have me and they don't. Why do you think I buy you all this stuff?" He raised his other hand up lifted the pearls on her neck. "I want everyone to know that you belong to one person and one person alone. That you, the most beautiful woman in the world is mine... Well..." He held her hand up and caressed his thumb across her knuckles. "I would like you to be mine permanently." Her expression remained stoic, she hadn't expected this, her surprise was hidden under a mask. A mask she had used many times before, but she knew if it was what she thought it was she would cry out with happiness and kiss him all over his face, then suck his tongue so hard it nearly hurt him but in a good way.

He gestured his head down towards her hand, which he held her palm over his and waved his other hand over it. A ring appeared on her finger and she gasped, it was beautiful, the diamond on it was humongous and it felt slightly heavy on her finger. She looked back up at him and smiled, he brought her hand up to the mask of his lips again. Not once breaking eye contact like the romantic man he was.

"You have to teach me how to do that someday." She whispered, her breath almost gone, he pressed his forehead against hers again.

"I will teach you all you want as long as you say yes."

"I never said no."

"But you never said yes." She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Maybe." She chuckled at the tightening of his jaw beneath the mask.

"Stop teasing me."

"Is it not obvious already?!" She exclaimed with a bright smile, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him expecting his tongue to shoot out into her mouth. Her hands held either side of his face and he laughed victoriously when she pulled away. "Yes! A million yeses, an infinity yeses."

"Waiter!" He shouted, grabbing her hand in his and standing up. He reached into his pocket and threw a roll of hundreds on the table. The waiter walked over, a curiosity on his expression. "You see that booth over there." Roman gestured to the booth across the restaurant, the waiter nodded. "Tell the cook that I want a special order for them. And also package our dessert and bring it home for yourself."

"Uh... Y-Yes Sir. Thank you, Sir." He then walked her away, it seemed like they owned the world after that. She looked over her shoulder at the booth who was glaring at them. She didn't care, she had her man.

"When we get home you know where to go." She nodded, she knew exactly where they were headed and she couldn't have been happier to know that this time it would be different. They would be making love as a soon to be married couple, not girlfriend and boyfriend. That meant the world to her. She would be proud to take on the Sionis name, only because he shared it.

 **Jealous Much**

After the wedding things seemed to settle down in the business, but as usual there was always some sort of illegal activity involved. Lina was allowed to quit her job and work alongside Sionis, something he wanted to do before, but she protested independence. He trusted her in controlling the finances of mostly everything he ever owned, but just because he loved her and she was his wife that didn't meant she had freedom to do as she pleaded. With Business, it remained business, their relationship was nothing when it came to business, simply built upon the boundaries of respect. But behind close doors, he did everything to make sure she knew that she was the only gal for him.

The business became more demanding and sometimes one would go up to the penthouse when another wouldn't, or neither of them would get sleep for hours on end. The weekends were there breaks... Sometimes. Roman got a new assistant, pretty, but he made sure she kept her distance. It wasn't that big of a deal to him when she would be flirtatious with him, he would not reciprocate. It wasn't until Lina got an assistant that he realized it mattered a lot.

Lina always complained about his assistant's flirting and he thought nothing of it. The day he watched that young, ambitious boy enter his building, he nearly flipped. Lina told him it was her assistant, she knew what she was doing. He was young and handsome, pretty much a direct likeness to his assistant.

Lina and Roman then began competitions, they would make bets on whose assistant was the best and somehow hers would always win. She would then explain that he went to college at a young age, having graduated earlier from high school at an advanced level. Roman despised the boy he would know as Collin. Collin flirted with Lina on a daily basis, but as Roman ignored the flirting, Lina did as well.

A month or so passed and then Roman had had enough, he had cracked open like an egg, the tension releasing from him as his annoyance turned to anger. He went to Lina, she was sitting on the couch. Paperwork stacked up on the coffee table, a dossier file open on her lap, and a cup of coffee on the corner of the table. She was wearing one of his button up shirts, black pajama shorts and bunny slippers. She was wearing those glasses she always use to wear when she previously worked as his assistant. She never stopped wearing them as she couldn't read close up otherwise, so eventually he found them to be cute on her.

"Lina, we need to talk." She looked up from the files, a knowing smile forming on her face.

"Alright, sit down Roman." He did as she requested, her feet finding themselves on his lip. He mindlessly removed the slippers and began to caress them, she had such soft

feet. "You can tell me anything. What's on your mind?" She looked back down to the files on her lap, multitasking as she listened to him.

"I hate your assistant, you should get a new one."

"But why?" Her voice was teasing, she knew exactly why.

"Because he is too flirty with you, he wants you Lina and I don't like it."

"Your assistant is just the same, I don't like her. Last time we talked about her, you said that you wouldn't fire her because she was valuable. I happen to think otherwise."

"Is this entire dilemma because you wanted to prove something to me?" She snorted and shook her head, her glasses slid down to the tip of her nose and she gazed at him.

"No, I needed someone to take care of the little stuff in terms of finances. Collin isn't going."

"Well, I don't like him."

"Well, I don't like her." He squeezed her foot before shoving it off his lap and standing up.

"Besides don't we have some sort of meeting today or something?"

"Something like that. I'm not telling you what time, you should know." She chuckled when he glared over at her.

"Tanker!" He shouted while staring at her and she looked back down to her book. A goon walked into the penthouse, he stood taller than the others and was one of Sionis's body guards.

"Yes, Boss."

"I want you to-"

"Hey Butcher." She waved at the goon absently and the goon nodded.

"Good to see you missus Sionis. How are ya?"

"I've been good. How are the kids? Do they like the toys I sent them?"

"They love'm and the missus would like to thank you for the makeup."

"Tell her no problem." Roman raised his hands incredulously.

"What the fuck is this?" He glared back over at Lina, who glared right back. "His name isn't Butcher, it's Tanker." He raised his voice at her.

"I call him Butcher and you are gonna have to accept that." She raised her voice right back, Roman's fists clenched.

"What the hell is your problem lately?!" He yelled at her.

"I'm gonna go." The goon muttered while slowly easing his way towards the door.

"No, you stay!" He pointed the goon and the goon stopped in his place, visibly shaking with fear.

"What is my problem, Roman?!"

"You've been bitchy so much lately."

"I'm just busy." She snapped at him, eyes scanning back down to her work.

"Busy?! You are fucking busy?! Well isn't that funny. You wouldn't even be working right now if it wasn't for me!" She pulled the files off her lap and threw it onto the table as she stood up.

"You wouldn't be able to live without me." She said in a heated rage, he growled.

"I don't think you want to test that because I won't hesitate to fucking put you down." Her expression softened, she bit her bottom lip. "Lina, get the fuck out of here! I don't want to see you!" He turned his back to her.

"I have nowhere else to go." She crossed her arms and looked down at the wooden floor.

"Then I guess you have to stay on the streets for a little while."

"Until when?" Her voice was soft now and the will to fight in her had disappeared. They had gotten into arguments before, but he had never kicked her out. There was a reason she was being the way she was, there was a reason she didn't think he was ready for yet.

"Until I call for you. Tanker, take her out." The goon hesitantly walked did as requested, tears stung at the corner of her eyes as she was led out, but she already knew the way. She couldn't tell him. He had kicked her out because she was acting like he needed her more than she did. He didn't need her more, he didn't need her for anything other than affection and that was something that wasn't exactly a necessity.

She stayed outside the Sionis building for what seemed like forever, she was still in her pajamas. Eventually he sent another goon down to collect her and she considered not going back up at all. Her resolve would break and she would tell him, that would be her biggest fear. She went back up to the penthouse floor, Roman was drinking again with his pills.

He put the bottle of Vodka on the counter and leaned against he counter before looking at her again.

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright." She calmly replied, he expected her to come and give him a hug, but she didn't. She went back into the living room and gathered her paperwork, bringing it into their room to work in there. He took a shower and when he got out she was fast asleep, the files stacked on the desk across from the length of the bed. He didn't hold her that night.

A month went on and they talked less, Lina mostly stayed in their room unless she had work to do. She didn't wear the dresses he got her as often as she once did, but he knew she still loved him because the pearls were always around her neck. She would get sick in the mornings, but he completely disregarded it. One day she confronted him while he was working in his office. She walked in wearing a loosely fitting robe that he had gotten for her. She looked scared, upset and depressed.

"What's wrong sugar plum?" He tried to sound comforting to her, it had been a while since they willingly confronted one another on anything, but work or homely necessities.

"I haven't been truthful with you Roman." He should have known, his immediate reaction was that she was cheating on him. He didn't want to believe, but he always questioned why she bothered with a man whose face was covered by a mask for the rest of his life.

"I should have known you would stoop so low..." He grunted out, he stood up and sped around the desk with long strides. He would kill her for hurting him, for breaking his heart like the last one did. "Who is he?" Her eyes widened and she shook her head, she rose her hands up in defense.

"No, no! I didn't. I would never, it's just-" She stopped, it felt so hard to say. She ha never gone through this before and the fact that she had to go through it alone was hard. She needed Roman."

"It's just, what? Who do you think I am?"

"I love you." She whispered, then she picked her hands up to her face and sobbed. Roman sighed and stepped forward into her, wrapping his arms around her.

"I am sorry, I mean it."

"Then why do you keep doing this?"

"You have barely talked to me for a month, Lina. We haven't had sex in a very long time and it's killing me."

"Well expect to wait longer."

"What do you mean?" She didn't know how to say it, it was three simple words. She grabbed his hand and placed it over her stomach, looking up at his face for a reaction. Her stomach had slightly protruded out these past few weeks and the morning sickness was getting better, but still terrible.

"I'm pregnant." She huffed out, closing her eyes, afraid of what he might say.

"I thought it was impossible." He whispered, she heard him gulp, it was silent and she refused to open her eyes. "The doctor said I was sterile. That I couldn't make you pregnant ever." He grabbed her chin and forced her to move her head in his direction. "Look at me." She opened her eyes and stared into his. "Whose is it?" She scowled and pulled his hands away from her, taking a step back.

"It's obviously yours!" She yelled at him, he had never seen her so angry before. "I'm not some whore, Roman! I would never do that to you, you're my husband!" She sniffled and wiped some tears away. "I'm your wife and you still think that I would do that to you, when I said 'yes', I meant it."

"Baby, I'm sorry."

"No. I am pregnant now, I can't do this alone. You are gonna have to put your faith in me, all of it Roman." She crossed her arms and looked at him, he was shocked into silence. His wife was having a child, their child and he was excited and surprised and most importantly enraged that she hadn't told him sooner. But she was scared; he was thinking about the fact he would have a heir, she was thinking about the fact that they were going to have to take care of a child in their business. Roman's family was horrible and he promised from that moment he would never raise this child like they had him.

"I want to have this baby with you." He said, her breath hitched and she nodded.

"I'm sorry, I hadn't told you. I just... I can't... I told myself we would never have one and now-"

"I know, but this should be a good thing." He stepped forward and placed both hands on her shoulders. "We will work together. How far are you in?"

"Three and a half weeks."

"Oh baby, I am so sorry for treating you the way I have." He wrapped his arms around her and she accepted, burying her head into his chest. "We will be alright, we will be just fine." He cooed in her ear, while caressing his fingers through he hair. "I love you."

"I love you more." It was true, but she didn't mind.


	5. Chapter 5

**Problems**

It was during a meeting did he find out the depressing news, his associates sitting alongside the long black table which length did reach the other end of the room. His phone was ringing and with aggravation he answered it, pulling it up to his ear and leaning back into his chair.

"What the fuck is it?" He answered roughly, everyone in the room froze and glanced in their boss's direction.

On the other end a man introduced himself as Chef, the goon that Sionis instructed to watch over his pregnant wife. Sionis listened for a moment, he then leaned his head down into his hand and covered his eyes. "Yeah I hear ya." He replied a lot more calmly and he hung up the cellphone, placing it face down on the table. He interlocked his fingers and pressed his forehead against them, sighing deeply.

He sat like this for about a minute before he stood up from his seat abruptly, knocking his chair over. He let out a shout and shoved the papers in front of him off the table. He slammed his hands down multiple times, he then turned and ripped the painting off the wall behind his chair. No one made a move as he broke out in a tantrum, throwing the decorum of the conference room. When he finished the room was in shambles and every one of his associates was sinking in their seats. His fists clenched and he stared at them, he took deep ragged breathes and his breathing was all that filled the room.

"Someone get me a fucking gun!" He yelled and one person on the end ran out of the conference room to appease his request. Or at least get out of there.

"This meeting is over, everyone out before I kill someone!" The room was cleared before the one who was going to get the gun came back. It was one of Roman's special pistols, the man ducked when Roman grabbed it and began firing randomly around the room.

He ran away as soon as Roman seemed finished, Roman placed the now empty gun onto the table and began to unbutton his white suit jacket. He folded it and placed it down on the table, he paced back and forth, letting out grunts and growls.

The phone began ringing again and he snatched it off the table pulling it to his ear. It was Lina.

"I'm on my way." He tossed the phone halfway across the room and grabbed his jacket on his way to the door. He didn't look back once.

She was sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, mindlessly holding her stomach and staring out the window. It was dark in the room, the only light coming in through the glass and shed by some blue lit lamp on the desk at the corner of the room. The door was opened and Roman came walking in, his jacket still folded and hanging over his forearm. He paused at the door when he saw her and sighed, closing it behind him. The click of the lock on the door caused her to flinch, but she didn't move. Her arms wrapped firmly around her shoulders and her eyes glistening with fresh tears. Roman threw his jacket onto the bed and sat down beside her, his hands hanging between his legs as he leaned forward on his knees and stared at the floor.

She angled her head in his direction and stared at him, her fingers trembling slightly.

"It's not our fault-"

"It's mine." He interrupted her. "We shouldn't have gone along with this if the doctor told me already that it shouldn't have been possible."

"I considered it a miracle." She whispered, her eyes going back to the floor. "I didn't realize how much I wanted a family until it was gone."

"I didn't realize how much I wanted a family until I married you." He mumbled and she nibbled on her bottom lip. Her eyes shut and she took a deep breath. "I told you that if you were going to stay with me you would never have one. A child. Do you regret it?" He tilted his head to gaze at her and for the first time she knew what his expression was past that mask, what he was.

"No. I can't see myself with anyone but you. If I can't have your child then I won't, we don't need a family to be happy." He looked away sharply as though that was not the answer he was looking for.

"You resent me, I can't be the man you need and you hate me for it." He accused, his voice was menacing, angry. She whimpered slightly, then began to sob and cupped her hands over her face. It was silent, he wondered why she was crying, why she was still here with him. Why she wouldn't admit how much she hated him?

She crawled back up onto the bed and curled up into a ball, crying against the pillow. He ignored it, thinking it was her call for attention. In truth, he hated himself. This was all his fault. His child was pushed out before it was ready to be taken in, it was pulled away from the family he would have given it and the care he would have loved to shed on it. It was because he wasn't supposed to have a child and if she wanted one, he wouldn't be able to stay with her any longer.

"I want a divorce." He randomly said, her sobs dulled down and the bed dipped as she sat up. He could feel her glare and then a little pain as her fist came down onto his shoulder. He jumped up from where he sat and rubbed his shoulder. "What the fuck was that?!" Her face was red and wet, her eyes wide and her fists clenched.

"You are acting like this is your fault, if you want to blame anyone for this blame us both. I don't hate you Roman, but if you want a divorce then fine."

"Well, I do want a divorce! I want nothing to do with this stupid relationship!" He growled out, she gasped and averted her gaze to the floor.

"I agree." She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. He was shocked, he had threatened a divorce before, she had threatened one before, but never had either of them agreed to it. He was expecting her to debate and shout at him, he was hoping for her to get up from the bed and hug him, apologize, kiss him, and say that this wasn't because of him all over again. "I don't think I can mentally take being in a relationship with you anymore, being your wife." She continued, his teeth gritted together.

"Are you fucking saying that I am not good enough for you?" He ground out and she nodded her head.

"One moment you say you love me and the the next you call me some whore because you assume to much." She wiped the tears on her face. "I am not afraid of you, but I do worry that you will kill me one day. You would care less if I was gone." He tensed up and took a step towards the bed, she scuffled away. "You hurt me Roman. I am going through as much pain as you are and you are pushing me aside. You are saying you want a divorce because you think I hate you. But the only thing that I hate about you is that you will never love me like I love you. So yes, I want a divorce."

"Babe I..." He tried to approach her and comfort her, but eventually she stood up from the bed and backed away towards the wall. "I didn't mean it. I don't want you to leave. I don't really want a divorce."

"No." Her voice was angry now and she crossed her arms over her body and looked away from him. "Just please go. Don't worry about the hospital payments, I will pay them. I will call my lawyer tomorrow and we can schedule something."

"I don't want to schedule anything, you aren't leaving me." He circled around the bed, stopping when she was against the wall.

"You are never going to treat me the right way and I cherish the moments that you do, but it isn't enough anymore. You treat me like shit, even after all we have been through."

"I buy you everything you want! I give you things! A home, fucking food and clothing."

"Thats not the reason I fell in love with you."

"Then why did you fall in love with me?"

"I've forgotten, I've forgotten. I don't remember why I fell in love with you, but it certainly wasn't because you bought me Gucci and a shit ton of makeup. I can't love someone who doesn't care about me."

"I care about you. If I didn't I wouldn't be here."

"If you cared about me you would have walked in here, putting your arms around me and kissing me. Telling me it was going to be okay, that it wasn't my fault." She stepped closer to him, no longer shy of letting out her anger entirely. "I had to carry that baby for eight months only to find out that it was a fucking miscarriage. How does that make me feel?" She pressed a fist against her chest. "I didn't even know the thing and I loved it." He dropped his head, she grabbed the sides of his face and forced her to look up at him. "I couldn't wait to have your baby Roman, to be the one woman in the world to carry Roman Sionis' child. Then you come in here and you tell me that you want a divorce, that you think I hate you. Well good Job Mr. Sionis. Your mission is accomplished." She shoved past his shell shocked self and went to grab her clothes, the patient gown must had been annoying her.

"Lina-"

"Leave." She hissed at him and he grabbed his jacket slowly, making his way towards the door.

"I love you. I just want you to know that before we quit this thing forever." She looked over her shoulder as he exited the room.

"You just don't love me enough." She muttered, heavier tears streaming down her cheeks, she stared down at her bare palms and saw nothing but blood. It belonged to her baby.

They had scheduled the meeting later that week, she brought her lawyer and he brought his. They sat across from each other in his office, he on the other side of his desk and her lawyer and his sitting on either side of her as they negotiate the nullification of their once lifetime contract. Lina wore something that Roman had never seen her in before and it certainly wasn't bought with his money. It was what she use to wear; a brown skirt and red sweater with heels.

"So in terms of money, Lina insists that you don't give her anything." Roman threw his hands up in the air and slammed them down onto the table. He made one look at his lawyer and the man nodded glancing down at Lina.

"Roman is willing to give you a quarter of his assets, which is a lot of money. I wouldn't pass this up... Lina, was it?"

"She knew he would do that and she doesn't want any of it. If he gives her the money she says she is going to donate it to charity." Roman was glaring at her as their lawyer's bickered back and forth. They didn't say a word, her gaze unwavering and strict. She was back to being that less confident shy girl that she was before. It was rather odd for a divorce to be about giving more than taking, half the things the lawyers were arguing about were mostly issues on who would accept what and why not. Lina looked down at her lap and fiddled with her thumbs.

"What about the condo he is giving her?" Her eyes perked up and her eyes shot over to meet his lawyer's. Her lawyer was about to say something, after all they had discussed that whatever he offered her, she would not accept. But this was different.

"Condo?"

"Yes. His condo in California. He wants to give it to you." She looked back down at her lap, unsure of whether or not she was doing the right thing. Then she glanced up to meet Roman's eyes, he pulled a cigar from a box on his desk and put it between his teeth. Not once breaking her gaze.

"No, I can't accept that."

"Why not?!" Roman spat, growing impatient with the fact that she wanted nothing from him. She asked nothing of him anymore. She didn't say anything back and instead looked down at the back of her fingers. The one with the ring was still there, she wouldn't dare take it off earlier. She gradually slid it off her finger, Roman sat up and reached across the desk to place his hand on her shaking ones. To prevent her from taking it off.

"Don't." He warned past the cigar hanging from his mouth. "That you will keep." It was an order and she slid the ring back on her finger and nodded. She would let him have that much, it would make him crazy knowing that she didn't have something to remind her of him. She noticed that he hadn't taken his ring off either, he probably would never take it and for some reason that warmed her heart. He pulled his hand away and dropped back down into his seat.

"Um... Lina wants to offer you something as well. It is small, but I suppose it is substantial." The lawyer lifted up his suitcase and opened it, pulling out an orange envelope and placing it on Roman's desk. Roman shoved his cigar into its tray, it was hardly half way finished. He picked up the envelope and ripped through it impatiently. When he saw the image of a tiny fetus inside, he nearly broke down, the first time he would have in his entire life.

"It was a boy. You told me you didn't want to know until it was born." His eyes went back up to hers and he took a deep breath. She was smiling slightly, but tears were on their way and she was forcing them back.

"Why are we doing this? If you want me to treat you right, I can do that." Her smile disappeared and she shook her head.

"You say that every time." Roman kept his lips shut after that.

"Can we continue?" She said to her lawyer and he did. When it seemed like everything was finished, they were to sign something of their approval. Roman mindlessly scribbled a line and pushed the document away. Lina stared down at it, she stared for the longest time and thought about why she was doing this. The man she loved. She was leaving him.

"Ma'am, I have to be at a meeting in the next hour. Can we hurry this up?" Roman's lawyer snapped and Roman soon followed.

"Give the woman her fucking space, will ya?!" His lawyer backed off and hers placed her hand on her shoulder, he was more sympathetic.

"If you need more time, then you can keep it until you sign, but until you sign he is still your husband." She grabbed the pen, her hand shaking as she brought it down towards the paper. She dropped it before it could touch the thin white and sat back in the chair with a huff.

"It hurts." She whispered. "And I don't know why."

"Don't be ridiculous. Let's get this over with."

"Shut up." Roman demanded from his lawyer again, he was on the brink of puling his gun out and shooting him.

"I don't think I am ever going to find someone like you."

"I don't think I will ever find someone like you."

"Are you guys thinking about not going through with it?" Her lawyer asked and before she could answer.

"No." Roman said and her eyebrows furrowed with sorrow.

"You were just talking about-"

"If you aren't with me, I can't hurt you again. Sign the papers angel face." She gulped, standing back up and finally putting the pen down on the paper. Making her most elegant signature, Roman smiled to himself because she was more than just elegant. She was more than just a wife to him and now at the signature of a paper, she was no longer a wife not anything more physically to him then an x-lover.

He stood up and circled around the table, a lawyer took the papers and put them in his suitcases to file at the courthouse.

"I am sorry that it had to happen like this. I love you."

"I love you too." He replied and held his arms open, she rushed into them, accepting the embrace.

"Sometimes it was really nice being your girl."

"My gal... Always my gal."


	6. Chapter 6

**The Liar**

With Lina's skill set, beauty, and cunning it didn't take long for her to find a job. But then again Roman had also referred her to a lot of others. She had settled down in an apartment not far from 52nd street where she use to live. She, however, never once visited that old Italian restaurant. She remained mostly to herself, only talking to someone when she needed something. She had no friends and when men tried to flirt with her, she would show them the ring on her finger without a word.

It was hard those first few months, adapting to an empty bed, the sexual deprivation, and the silence. It wasn't until the eighth month did she finally start to see a difference in it all. She missed Roman, but only the Roman that would hold her at night and watch movies with her, make love to her at random.

This new sense of independence, however, was amazing to her. She could finally go somewhere without someone watching her nonstop, she could make her own decisions and spend the cash that she had worked hard for without someone breathing down her neck about it. But even with all these once closed opportunities, the thing she missed the most was having someone there. So she tried to ignore that pain when she realized no one was going to join her when she went in the shower, that fear that no one was there to protect her at night, that sadness that she won't find anyone like Roman ever.

Roman on the other hand had become extremely lethargic, he worked his business, but as soon as he was alone. He did nothing but drink and eat, go to the bathroom and sleep. He never thought her not being there would affect him to such an extent. It didn't with the last woman. It drove him to near insanity when he noticed her things were missing in the first month and then as the months continued, it killed him inside.

He had been lonely before, but when you are with someone for so long and then this happens. How could he not crumble into a million pieces? His goons noticed it, his business became less prominent because of it, and his authority was slowly diminishing. He wanted her back again, but there was no way she was coming back. So he did something he told himself he wouldn't, he sent a goon out each day to follow her and watch her. He had them take pictures of her and return them to him, he would hide them in an envelope in his desk and look at them every so often.

She wouldn't notice this because it was a different man every day and that man kept very well hidden. Roman wondered if she was happier and some pictures proved that she was. But what irked him was that she had no socialization with anyone, she remained alone and dull, quiet and to herself. That was until after about a year and she started dating again, Roman yet again broke his promise to himself.

After every date, he would have a goon beat the shit out of the man and send him on his way with a warning. She would wonder why they never called her back, it was because of Roman. Then Roman began leaving gifts at her door, does it count if he at least promised _he_ wouldn't? He sent a goon to do it instead.

The first gift was a bouquet of flowers, her favorite roses. The second gift was a puppy, she picked it up and called around for its owner and when no one took him back she brought it inside and called it Angel. The third was a box of designer earrings, the most expensive of the gifts. And not once did she consider that Roman was bringing these gifts to her, in the end, however, all that mattered to Roman was that she took them.

She walked Angel every day and the earrings she wore on other occasions, the flowers eventually rotted, but she had kept them in a vase next to her front door. Roman stopped sending gifts when her next door neighbor asked her out on a date. He hated the guy, but not only because he was dating Lina, but because he had claimed that those gifts were from him. One of the goons caught him talking to her one day as she was walking Angel.

"So... Do you know anything about these gifts that have been sitting in front of my door nearly every morning?" She smiled at him and he nervously itched the back of his chestnut hair, his pale cheeks collecting red and amber eyes focused on her figure.

"I sent them to you." They passed an alley way, where a goon had been hiding at the corner.

"That is so sweet of you, but I am not really a gift person. If you want my affection just ask me out." She stopped walking beside him and he followed.

"Well, okay. Do you want to go out?"

"Sure." She answered. "How does tonight sound at around seven?"

"Alright, the Italian restaurant not far from here sound good?" Her smile fades, but she forced it back into place and nodded.

"That sounds great."

"Awesome, I can't wait." Her neighbor then treaded off back towards his apartment and she went back to hers although having barely completed Angel's walk.

Roman was so infuriated when he found out about this, that he had bought himself a table at the restaurant to spy on them. She had lost a lot of the fat from her pregnancy, if anyone had asked Roman she looked no different than she did when they first met. She was practically glowing. Her hair was undone and her dress fit very nicely to her figure.

He watched from afar, hoping that she would notice him, but if she did she made no sign of it. She ordered her favorite, fettuccine Alfredo, and he ordered some crappy lasagna. Then he had the audacity to offer her dessert, it hurt him to see how happy she looked without him. Roman was miserable and here she was enjoying the life.

"My last relationship was horrible, my girlfriend cheated on me." Lina placed her hand over his and smiled.

"Well at least you left her before it became worse. That's terrible to do to someone."

"What about you? What was your last relationship like?"

"I was married."

"Oh." His ear perked up, but he didn't seem so excited to hear this news.

"He was a good man through my eyes, but everyone else hated him. I miss him a lot, but I know that if I had stayed with him I wouldn't be as happy as I am now."

"But you miss him?"

"I do."

"Well that sucks, you guys must have been really cute together?" She distantly looked off and nodded.

"We were..." She hesitated as the memories of Roman came running through her mind. She though about him more than she should. "But let's not talk about that anymore." She sighed and began eating her cannoli again.

Roman had heard the whole thing and as much as it wounded him to admit that he was not good for her anymore, he asked for the bill and left before they could notice him.

The neighbor did not ask Lina out again, it must had been because she was married once and he didn't want a girl who was divorced. She went back into her routine, but heartbroken and bent out of shape as she was before. She knew she wouldn't find someone to fill her heart like Roman did. So she stopped looking for love and found other goals in life.


	7. Note

I have decided that I will continue on this story, despite the fact it was supposed to end with them not being together. I feel like they should be together, so I am gonna make an alternate ending of sorts.


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